Wicker Park's Tex-Mex Luncheonette
Dove's Luncheonette on Damen Avenue is One Off Hospitality's Wicker Park Tex-Mex diner. Counter seating, vintage soul on the speakers, and the kind of comfort cooking that distinguishes a serious neighbourhood diner from a generic one.
The cooking is Tex-Mex at restaurant standards: handmade tortillas, considered chilli verde, careful breakfasts, and the kind of disciplined diner cooking that the format too rarely receives.
What to Order
Brisket enchiladas. The dish the room is built around. Chilli verde; migas at brunch; fried chicken. The mezcal programme is unusually serious for a luncheonette.
The Format
The room is small, dim, and entirely without affect. Counter seating handles solo diners; the booths take pairs.
Best Occasion: First Date
Dove's is a Wicker Park first-date win. The format is unintimidating; the cuisine provides natural conversation; the soundtrack carries the room. The price point allows a return visit.